Hawaii shares Dinata's "Love"

HONOLULU -- Indonesian helmer Nia Dinata's "Love for Share," a frankly stated drama on the touchy topic of polygamy, won feature honors at the 26th Hawaii Intl. Film Festival. Film is Indonesia's contender for foreign-language Oscar nomination.

Helmer received the Halekulani Golden Orchid before a bumper kudos night crowd in Waikiki on Thursday.

Documentary award was taken home by Julie Bayer and Josh Salzman's "Time and Tide," about the devastating effects of climate change and globalization on the tiny island nation of Tuvalu.

The Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema Award -- the only one that the pan-Asian org gives at a North American fest -- was handed to Singaporean helmer Royston Tan for his character study "4.30."

Marrying fest's long-standing aim of promoting Asia-Pacific cinema with festgoer feedback, Bong Joon-ho's South Korean satirical monster movie "The Host" carried off the audience vote for feature.

People's choice for documentary went to local production "Na Kamalei: Men of Hula" by Lisette Marie Flannery, a look at Hawaii's sole men-only hula dance academy.

Sans thesping awards per se, fest presented a special achievement to Japanese actor Ken Watanabe and honored Kevin Smith with its Maverick director award.

Living up to the kudo title and then some, Smith's riotous acceptance speech proved the talking point of the night. Attendees, including prominent business and government figures, weren't sure whether to laugh or run for the exit as Smith graphically described the daytime conjugal pleasures he and wife were enjoying while traveling without children.

Declared a success by exec director Chuck Boller, fest wraps in Honolulu on Saturday and plays other island venues through Nov. 5.
And the nominees are...

Halekulani Golden Orchid Award for film:
"Love for Share" (Indonesia), dir. Nia Dinata

Halekulani Golden Orchid Award for docu:
"Time and Tide" (U.S.), dir. Julie Bayer, Josh Salzman

NETPAC Award for Emerging Asian Filmmaker:
Royston Tan (Singapore) for "4.30"

Honolulu Magazine Award for Short Film:
"Majidee" (Malaysia), dir. Azharr Rudin

DHL Audience Choice Award for Film:
"The Host" (South Korea), dir. Bong Joon-ho

DHL Audience Choice Award for Docu:
"Na Kamalei: Men of Hula" (U.S.), dir. Lisette Marie Flannery

DHL Audience Choice Award for Short Film:
"Ruckus" (U.S.), dir. Dean Ishida